The Buffalo Bills managed to remain a Super Bowl contender despite an offseason roster overhaul. Although they are already on pace to exceed expectations in what was viewed as a transition year, general manager Brandon Beane should remain active ahead of Tuesday’s 2024 NFL trade deadline.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane is one intriguing possible target. Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News predicted the Bills will trade for Spillane in an effort to “clean up that mess” created by injuries to Buffalo’s two starting linebackers, Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard.
The Bills already made one marquee addition when they acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. A similar upgrade defensively would put Buffalo’s roster in a promising position for the remainder of the campaign.
Bills Linked to Raiders LB Robert Spillane
Linebacker is Bills’ Biggest Deadline Need
Buffalo’s linebacker concerns aren’t getting enough attention locally. Even those who follow the team closest are overlooking the glaring weakness.
Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic listed the Bills’ biggest needs as “offensive line depth and help at edge rusher, safety and defensive tackle.” WGR’s Jeremy White posted an X poll asking what Buffalo should target with the options of safety, defensive line and wide receiver.
The lack of talk about linebackers likely stems from overconfidence about the health of Milano and Bernard.
Milano’s original timetable to return from a bicep injury was December, but that leaves him one notable setback away from missing the remainder of the season. Even if he does eventually come back, his level of play will be a massive question mark. He hasn’t played since Oct. 8, 2023.
Meanwhile, Bernard has already missed three games because of pectoral and ankle injuries. If he’s already fighting through multiple injuries in Week 9, thinking he’ll be anywhere close to 100 percent for the playoffs is misguided.
One thing’s for sure: the Bills can’t find themselves in a position where Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector are their starting linebackers in a playoff game. Williams (59.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade) and Spector (40.0 PFF grade) are one of the NFL’s worst LB tandems when on the field together.
Linebacker is the Bills’ biggest need, and it’s not particularly close.
Analyzing Spillane’s NFL Track Record
Spillane has developed into a reliable starting linebacker since going undrafted in 2018. He made a couple appearances with the Tennessee Titans as a rookie, but it wasn’t until he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers the following year that he started to make a consistent NFL impact.
The 28-year-old Western Michigan product enjoyed a breakout year with the Raiders in 2023. He recorded 148 total tackles, four passes defended, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions and a forced fumble across 17 appearances.
Spillane’s strong play has continued in the first half of the 2024 season. He leads the NFL with 51 solo tackles, helping him earn a terrific 84.9 run defense grade from PFF, and he’s also chipped in four passes defended and a sack.
It makes him an ideal fit in Buffalo, which has struggled to defend the run consistently. The Bills are tied for 25th in rushing yards allowed per carry (4.8).
Spillane isn’t a high-end, sideline-to-sideline playmaker like Milano and Bernard. Beane isn’t going to find a direct replacement like that on the trade market, though. The Raiders star is more of a direct punisher, and the Bills could use more of that in the middle of their defense right now.
Is Spillane the Right Target for Buffalo?
He’s not the best fit. The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ Devin Lloyd is a better option. He’s a more complete player who could handle key responsibilities if Milano and/or Bernard aren’t available come playoff time. So, if Lloyd if available, Beane should be on the phone with the Jags.
Beyond that, however, Spillane would be a certain upgrade over Williams and Spector.
The Illinois native is also a nice piece to have even if Milano and Bernard end up healthy at the same time, too. He could play in obvious running situations to take some pressure off slot cornerback Taron Johnson. Since Buffalo only uses two linebackers in its base defense, Johnson plays a tough multifaceted role.
Spillane shouldn’t cost much to acquire either. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent and the Raiders’ playoff hopes are fading at 2-6. A late-round draft pick swap should be enough. It also doesn’t change anything about the Bills’ salary-cap outlook for 2025.
All told, Buffalo’s offense got a jolt from the arrival of Cooper. He helped create more space for Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid. It’s no mistake quarterback Josh Allen has been finding a lot more open pass-catchers the past two weeks.
Spillane could provide a similar boost defensively via a low-risk, high-reward trade.
Main Photo Courtesy of Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
